Refrigerating plant



Sept, 12, 1'950 w. sAMPsoN ETAL 2,5215

REFRIGERATING PLANT 2500 LBS HR.

CHAMBER. 45

TOTAL PUMP Te Lesa' /3 Reducing Value HxghFressu/ee :P14 E Loza Prcss are W/LL/AM SAMRSO/V am! R0 ERTLESL/JMES AY V- AWOR/VEY.

Sept 12, 1950 w. sAMPsoN TAL 2,521,751

REFRIGERATING PLANT Filed Dec. 14, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z7 MAIN ACTUATING v STEAM. Z

2. FW /g Z461/ fj FLASH CHAMBER.

Warm/Brine WILL/AM 6AM/0506' and OERT EUEJMES HA yDE/V I Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED nitrateinterino` PLANT William Sampson and Robert Leslie James Hayden, Aldwych, London, England, assignors, by. mcsne assignments, to Foster WheelerCorporation, New YorlnN York . Y., a corporation of New f Application December 14, 1945,- serial Norsspit; l lin .Great Britain December 15, 1944 fr f 13 cisnes. (crea-152)" The present invention relates to refrigerating plant of the steam jet vacuum type, particularly n plant installed Where evaporators usuallyy are re.-

quired to provide distilled water as on board ship, the object being to reduce the weightspace and steam consumption of the` whole installation.v

For this pur/ose.. the refrigeration plant and the evaporators 4are combined so rthat the, heat from the .refrigeration load Y can be used to evaporate water or that the vapour generated in evaporating water.can be Aused tooperatethe jets of l the vacuum ,refrigeration plant.

In the accompanying drawings three waysof carrying out the invention are diagrammatically illustrated, Fig. lbeingthat .of an arrangement in which a single vessel serves both as a flash chamber and as an evaporator.. Fig.-2 represents a modification ofpart of .Figlie .Fig is .an arrangement in WhiChseparate vessels ,constitute thehashchamber .andevaporator... -v Y Referring iirst to. Fig.. 11, .I represents axressel constituting a flash chambersuch as isusedin well known vacuum refrigerating..plants,- lwith steam jetsy I1 mounted on the top thereoffovhich steam jets receive steam through vline Ila.. The steam jets II areconnected tothe .inlet end of a steamy jeticompressor 2 .which compressor, .at

the .suction or inlet;em'lthereof.l communicates with :dash chamber]k and atthedischarge .end i thereof communicates. with a surface .condenser 3, A coolant for condensing steam entering con.- densert from steam jet compressor-.2 isfsupplied to said condenser-'by aseawater circulate. ing pump 4 which receives sea water through line i8 and discharges said water-through :cone duitsv I9. and y2t into the ycondensingsurface of condenser 3. The sea Water enteringcondenser 3 .through lines I9 `and ZIJ, after passing ,it indirect heatexchange relationship with thejsteam in said condenser, :flows outwardlyv rthereof through discharge pipe 5. Condensate swithF drawn fromhotwell]I through line 2t bua con-V densate extractorpump 6,.

The refrigerating 1oad,a,s shown in jigs. 1y to, 3.0i ,thev drawings, comprises air coolers 8.. A pump 9 dravvsbrinevfromvessel I through arhconduit 22 anddischarges the brine through line23 intoy a conduitv 2'4which brine passes inlheat transfer relationship with the refrigeratinggloald, air coolers 8,'to sprays 25`in the fupperpart of vessel I.v rl'3rineinay be blown down, ywlienldesired, through line znwhich is in communica;

According to the git I has a coil IIJ therein .through which wateris circulated by apurnp II. The coilis connected at its discharge .end to thel inlet of air coolerso by a conduit 2l. The outlet end ,of air coolers a is in communication with .the suctiouof pump II through. conduit 28.whi1e the-discharge of pumpIl isconnected. tooneendof conduit 2d, which conduit has the oppositeend thereof con.. nected to the inlet'ofcoil I0. I

In operation, flashrchamber .I is placed under a vacuum by action of steamjet compressor 2 actuated by steamjets I 1,. The steam from-'compressor 2 is condensedin condenser 3 bypassing in indirect heat exchange relationshipwith :sea Water pumped through Aconduits I9 and 20A into the condensing surface. of lsaid condenser by pump 4 which water is discharged fromA the con densing surface throughdischarge pipe 5.; Condensate is thereafter Withdrawn from hot ywell I of condensertrthrough line ZB'I by pump 6.

, A make-upfo'f sea'water'is *supplied to fiash chamber I by pump 4 through conduitflS. Flashing willttakef place under the prevailing vacuum in ashchamber I thereby cooling the brine or. sea 'Watertothe desired degree.V The cooledbrine is' thepfpumped by pump 9 through conduit 22, line v V23jthenvce v'into conduit 2d. .In conduit"24, -the'brine flowsiin indirect heat exchange relationship' with air coolers v3, extract# -ing heattherefroin, nduthereafter into sprays 25. The brine Y'thiis'ly heatedY is sprayedA into :flash chamberl thrtu'ghfspra'ys 25 and will be ashed,''under the"va cuum prevailing in flash chamber I,"the'vapobeingvwithdrawn from said chamber by steam jet compressor 2 while ythe brine,A cooled by ysaid dashing', passes downwardly intochamber'Lf Since coil *III n'wflash chamber I is in heat exchange relationship with brine cooled in said Chambon-water 'flowing through coil I0 is cooled by said brine. Waten-which has'been heated by passing'throu'gh air coolers 8K, is drawn from the outlet vof.` the 'air'y coolers 'through' conduit 28' by pump II andpurri'ped into' coil Ill through conduit 29. As the watercirculates through coil III, it is cooled by passingv in'indirect heat exchange relationship with the'cooled brine in the' flash chamber, the cooledwat'er flowing outwardlyof coil ID through v4conduit 21 thence into air coolers 8. Cooling of water 'iiowi'ng through coil II! thereby heats vthe 'Watero'r brine in the flash chamber. The coil Il) inv consequence acts as i an evaporator of water vinftlfie vessel I, the vapour beingdrawn olf byfthe steam vjet comprese' sor. It will thus be apparent that heat from the refrigerator load is used to evaporate water in the flash chamber of a refrigerator plant Without the use of steam and duplication of the condensing equipment and so many pumps as are requiredwhen an independent evaporator plant is employed.

The pump 4 in addition to supplying the condenser 3 supplies make up Water to replace flashed vapour in the vessel I and blow down.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, water circulated through air coolers 8, instead of being passed through an evaporating coil in the flash chamber, is circulated through a heat exchanger I2. As shown, cooled brine withdrawn from chamber I through conduit 22 by pump 9 is passed into a heat exchanger I2 by said pump through line 23 and conduit 24. In

the heat exchanger I2, the brine flows in indi- V rect heat exchange relationship with a coil I2a into which water from 'air coolers 8 is pumped through conduit 28 by pump II. The water flowing through coil I2a is cooled by passing in indirect heat exchange relationship with brine flowing into heat exchanger I2 through line 24. The cooled water passes from coil I2a through conduit 2T into air coolers 8 while the brine heated by said indirect heat exchange relationship in heat exchangerI I2 flows into sprays 25 in flash chamber I through conduit 24a. The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 and the operation thereof is, in other respects, similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and hereinbefore described.

As will be obvious provision may be made for heat to be supplied to the water to be evaporated from a source other than the refrigerator circuit il' evaporated water is required when refrigeration is not required.

In another arrangement, the vapour generated in evaporators is used for the operation of the steam jets of the jet compressor 2 serving to exhaust the flash chamber of the refrigerating plant.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, where 35 represents an ordinary evaporator, additional to a flash chamber Ia, steam for heating such evaporator may be taken from a high pressure line I3 through a suitable reducing valve I4 or from the exhaust of a steam turbine I5 or from any low pressure exhaust line I6 available or from two or all of these three sources. The turbine I5, in the example illustrated, receives steam through a main steam line 36 and discharges steam through lines 31 and 38 into evaporator` 35. `Steam from evaporator 35 is conducted to steam jets I1 through line 39.

As shown, turbine I5 is employed to` drive a .pump 9a through a shaft, shownl diagrammatically at 3U, to Withdraw brine fromfiash chamber Ia through conduit 22 and pass the water to the inlet of air coolers 8 through line 3|. After passing through air coolers and becoming warmed, the brine isV discharged through conduit 3'2 into sprays 25 in ilash chamber Ia. Shaft 30 also drives pump 4, which passes sea water into condenser 3 through line I8 and conduits I3 and 20, and pump 6a, by means of which pump condensate is withdrawn from hot well I of condenser 3. The condensate withdrawn by pump 6a may be used as make-up water in flash chamber Ia by passing it from pump 6a through conduits 33 and 34 into the flash chamber. I

In both Figs. 1 and 3 the temperatures indicated are assumed to be those obtainable for a 500,000 B. t. u. plant, the evaporation per day giving 51/2 tons make-up.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the form, location and relative arrange.- ment of the several parts of `the refrigerating apparatus disclosed Without departing from the principles of the invention. `Consequently, the invention is not to be limited excepting by the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In refrigerating apparatus, means forming an evaporator chamber, conduit means associated with said chamber and through which a liquid is conducted thereto, vacuum creating means cooperating with said chamber for placing the chamber under vacuum and withdrawing vapor from liquid therein to effect cooling of the liquid by partial evaporation thereof, a heat exchanger, cooled liquid conduit means in communication with the evaporator chamber and with the heat exchanger so as to conduct cooled liquid from said chamber to the exchanger, a refrigerating load comprising means through which other liquid is passed, a liquid conducting line through which said other liquid is conducted to the heat exchanger after passing through said refrigerating load, another `liquid conducting line communicating with said heat exchanger and said refrigerating load so as to conduct said other liquid from the heat exchanger to said refrigerating load after the other liquid has passed in heat transfer relationship with the cooled liquid in the heat exchanger, and return conduit means in communication with the heat exchanger and the evaporator vchamber through which liquid warmed in the heat exchanger bv passing in heat exchange relationship with said other liquid is passed from the heat exchanger to the evaporator chamber.

2. In refrigerating apparatus, means forming a flash chamber, conduit meansassociated with said chamber and through whichl a. liquid is conducted thereto, vacuum creating means cooperating with said chamber for placing the chamber under vacuum and withdrawing vapor from liquid therein to` effect cooling of the liquid bv partial evaporation thereof, a heat exchanger, cooled liquid conducting means in communication with the flash chamber and with, the heat exchanger so as to conduct cooledliuuid from said chamber to the exchanger. a refrigerating load comprising means through which other liquid. is passed. a 1iquid conductingr line through which said other liquidl is conducted to the, heat exchanger after passingr through said refrigerating load, another liquid conducting line communicating with said heatJ exchanger and said refrigerating load so as toV conduct said other liquid from the heat exchanger to said refrigerating load after the other liquid has passed in heat transfer relationship with the cooled liquid in the heat exchanger, spray means in said flash chamber throughwhich liquid is sprayed into said chamber, and return conduit means in communication with the heat exchanger and the spray means and through which liquid warmed in the heat exchanger by passing in heat exchange relationship with said other liquid is passed from the heat exchanger to the spray means. y l

3. In refrigerating apparatus, means forming an evaporator chamber, conduit means associated with said chamber and throughwhich a,l

liquid is conducted thereto, vacuum creating means cooperating withsaid chamber for placing the chamber Aunder vacuum yand withdrawing yapor from lquid therein to effect cooling of fthe liquidby partial eva-porallion;thereof', a refrigerating @load comprising means through which other liquid -is passed-:a Ycoil .in said chamber,l Ia f liquid conducting `.line in; :communication with said coiland-said refrigerating load: and through fand-has become warmed,y means in communican @tion with the levaporator chamber:'to` receive cooled liquid therefrom after passage in hea-texn ,change .relation- Wittin-` the coil `audpass said ..1,i ;u11dfi;1iy heat transfer.A -r'elationshipA withV the ftefrigerating load :and extract heat -therefrom .thereby/'warming said liquid from the evaporator chamber, said last-mentioned means also being yi jfopmmunicationzwith the evaporator chamber so that liquid warmed by heatfexchange relationship with the refrigeratingv load is passed to gsaid chamber. i

leigh ref rigera-tingy apparatus, means'torming an evaporator chamber; conduit means associn .ated-with-,said chambervand through which a liquid is conducted thereto,` tacuum'fcreating .means cooperating with said chamber for placing-fthe cliareher und-er vacuum withdrawu ingr vapor` from liquid therein toy effect cooling ofthe liquid by partial evaporation thereof; a refrgerating load comprising means through whiclrfliqui'd is passed a liquid 'conducting line in communication with theevaporator chamber and with the refrigerating loadhto receive cooled .liquid from the chamber and pass it to said refrigerating load, and another liquid conducting line communicating with` thel refrigerating load and the evaporator chambersc as to conduct liquid .from the refrigeratingload to the etaperatorgchaniber after `the:#liquid passed throughrthe refrigeratihg-floadand has'bcome a warmed.yv i y w51 Af method of Yreirigeration"which comprises introducing liquid into an evaporation zone, placing said zone under such vacuum as to Apartially vaporize the liquidand eiect a cooling *.hereof, removingthevapor rfrom said vevaporatiori'zone, circolatine,E` other liquid through a refrigerating load zone, passing said other liquid from the refrigeratig'ng `load zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with cooled liquid from the evaporation zone in a heat exchange zone, owing said other liquid cooled in the heat exchange Zone to the refrigerating load zone, and flowing said liquid from the evaporation zone after warming thereof by said heat exchange in the heat exchange zone to the evaporation zone for introduction thereinto.

6. A method of refrigeration which comprises introducing liquid into an evaporation zone,l

- change zone, passingxsaid yliquid cooled in the evaporator evaporation zone min-.direct heat exchange relau tionship with the other liquid owing through said refrigerating load Zone thereby cooling said zone and Warming said cooled liquidfrom the `revaporation'zone by heatextracted from said re'- frigeratng zone, owing thewa'rmed liquid Lto the evaporation zone for introduction there into.

7. A method of'refrigeration which comprises -introducing liquid into an evaporation zone,

placing said lacme under such: vacuum ask to partially vaporize the liquid `and effect a cooling thereof, removing the Avapor from said evaporation zone, circulating other liquid through va heat `e'x'cl'lange zone within said' evaporation cone and in indirect 'heat exchange relationship with liquid in'theevaporation'Zone to fcoolsaid other liquid, passing the' cooled other `liquid through a' refrigeratingy load f zone toV extract heatiirom .ame-'chum to beccoled, flowing the otherfliquid containing said' extracted heat into said r heat exchange vvacne, passing 'said liquid cooled in the evaporation zone-in indirect heat euchange relationshi-pwith .the otheriliquid lowing thrcughrsaid yrefrigerating load 'zone thereby Ycooling said zone` and warming said cooled liquid a liquid Ais cclndueted"thereto,` a steam jety a steam jet compressor operated' by said steam ietasaid .steam jet compressorheing in communication with the evaporator chambertto place the chamber under vacuum and withdraw vapor from the liquid `thereunto effect cooling by pare tial .evaporation ofi said -.li'quid, aheati exchanger,

-cc'oledfliquidcond-uit means. iin communication withthe evaporatorchambei and'lwith thehcat exchanger sofas to conduct 4cooled liquidfi'orn said chamber-to the exchangenafrefrigerating load comprising means dirough which other liquid. is passed, a liquid conducting line throughwhich sai'drotherliquid is conducted tothe heat exchangerafter passing through said refrlger'ating load,

another' :liquid f conducting line `conjimunicating withsaid lheat exdhanger Vand said refrigerating` loadgso astoicondulctsaidrother liquid from the heat eicel-langer' to? said "refrigeratingiload after the other liquid has passed in heat transfer relationship with the cooled liquid in the heat eX- changer, and return conduit means in communication with `the heat exchanger and the chamber through which liquid warmed in the heat exchanger by passing in heat exchange relationship with said other liquid is passed from the heat exchanger to the evaporator chamber.

'9; In refrigerating apparatus, means forming a flash chamber, conduit means associated with said chamber and through which ,a liquid is conducted thereto, a steam jet, a steam jet compressor operated by said steam jet, said steam jet compressor being in communication with the flash chamber to place the chamber under vacuum and withdraw vapor from the liquid therein to effect cooling by partial evaporation of said liquid, a heat exchanger, cooled liquid conducting means in communication with the viiash chamber and with the heat exchanger so Ato the 'exchangerfa refrigerating load comprising means through which other liquid is passed, a liquid conducting line through which said other liquid is conducted to the heat exchanger after passing thro-ugh said refrigerating load, another liquid conducting line communicating with said heat exchanger and said refrigerating load so as to conduct said other liquid from the heat exchanger to said refrigerating load after the other liquid has passed in heat transfer relationship with the cooled liquid in the heat exchanger, spray means in said ash chamber through which liquid is sprayed into said cham* ber, and return conduit means in communication with the heat exchanger and the spray means and through which liquid warmed in the heat exchanger bypassing in heat exchange relation- Yshipwith said other liquid is passed from the heat exchanger to the spray means.

10. Inrefrigerating apparatus, means forming an evaporator chamber, conduit means associated with said chamber and through which a liquid is conducted thereto, vacuum creating means cooperating with said chamber for placing the chamber under vacuum and withdrawing vapor from liquid therein to effect cooling of the liquid by partial evaporation thereof, a refrigerating load comprising means through which other liquid is circulated, and liquid conducting means in heat exchange relationship with the other liquid circulating through the refrigerating load, said'liquid conducting means having an inlet in communication with the evaporator chamber to receive cooled liquid therefrom and an outlet in communication with the evaporator chamber to discharge liquid thereinto after passage in heat exchange relationship with said other liquid circulating through the refrigerating load.

11, vA method of refrigeration which comprises introducing liquid into an evaporation zone, placing said` zone under such vacuum as to vaporize liquid therein and eifect a cooling thereof, removing the vapor from said evaporation zone, circulating other liquid through a refrigerating load zone, passing said other liquid from the refrigerating load zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with cooled liquid from the evaporation zone in a heat exchange zone, flowing said other liquid cooled in the heat exchange zone to the refrigerating load zone, and flowing said liquid from the evaporation zone after warming thereof by said heat exchange in the heat exchange zone to the-evaporation zone for introduction thereinto.

12. vA method of refrigeration which comprises introducing liquid into an evaporation zone, placing said zone under such vacuum as to vaporize liquid therein and eiect a cooling thereof, removing the vapor from said evaporation zone. circulating other liquid through a refrigerating load zone, passing said other liquid from the refrigerating load zone in indirect Aheat exchange relationship with cooled liquid from the evaporation zone in a heat exchange zone, ilowing said other liquid cooled-in the heat exchange zone to the refrigerating load zone, and spraying' the warmed liquid from the heat exchangezone into the evaporation zone for introduction of 'said liquid thereinto.

13. A method of refrigeration which comprises introducingV liquid into an evaporation zone, placing said zone under such vacuum' as'to vaporize liquid therein and effect a cooling thereof, removing the vapor from 'said evaporation zone, circulating other liquid throughl a refrigerating load zone, withdrawing cooled liquid from the evaporation zone, passing said other liquid circulating through the refrigerating loadv zone and lthe cooled liquid from the evaporation zone in indirect heat exchange relationship with one another, and returning said liquid from the evaporation zone to said evaporation zone for introduction thereinto after passage thereof in indirect heat exchange relationship with the other liquid circulating through the refrigerating load zone.

WILLIAM SAMPSON.

ROBERT LESLIE JAMES HAYDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 874,986 Parsons Dec. 31, 1907 I 1,993,288 Smith et al. Mar. 5, 1935 2,172,408 Randel Sept. 12, 1939 2,206,428 Reavis July 2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,541 Germany Apr. i7, 1880 551,223 France Mar. 30, 1923 

